Hand-Drawn Animation Dead at Disney

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

D23ExpoVisitor25, I admire your optimism, but I feel you need to distinguish between facts and hearsay. You consistently clutch at the flimsiest of straws on most threads here to support what are arguably your hopes and wishes, rather than what has been corroborated by reputable sources.

Don't get me wrong - it's fine to be hopeful. But make sure hope it doesn't make you irrational.

By the way, I trust you did not go through with your plan to help market Wish by dressing up as the Star character and greeting people on the street. Unless Disney are paying you for it, don't go marketing their movie. They can damn well do that themselves! Remember they don't give you their Blu-rays for free. You pay for them, right?

Forgive me for asking, but how old are you? I get a feeling you may be among our younger members, which may be why you still have stars in your eyes when it comes to the Walt Disney Co.

Have fun watching movies! But try to remain objective.

I'm 27.

And, I only dressed up as Star once, while in NYC, but only when getting Ariana DeBose's autograph as she went in on Good Morning America, which she was amazed by and loved.

Also, I'm sorry, Jules, but I cannot in good conscience give up on what I believe I know in that hand-drawn animation will come back at Disney. Everything I've heard regarding the Disney+ Tiana series, whether it be from Grace Randolph, iCritic, Eric Goldberg, Jennifer Lee, and more, imply it WILL be hand-drawn animated. If that series can be a success for Disney+ in ratings, along with Once Upon a Studio winning Best Animated Short at the Oscars (which Variety is forecasting will happen), then there's a chance Disney will bring back hand-drawn animation in time for the scale of a feature-length film like maybe The Search for Mickey Mouse in Q4 2028 with the directors of Once Upon a Studio, hand-drawn animator Eric Golberg, and either composer Richard Sherman, Randy Newman, or Alan Menken working on the movie for Mickey Mouse's 100th birthday.

Let me make my intentions clear.

We are GOING to bring hand-drawn animation at Disney on a bigger scale BACK.

And we DON'T STOP fighting for that until we do.

Through pressure, outcry, and refusal to quit, we'll win.

So, let's not give up and continue to fight for the existence of hand-drawn animation at Disney. If we stick together, we'll win.

[Jules]

Glad to hear that when you dressed up as Star, it was within a context that made sense.

Listen, D23ExpoVisitor25, I am not telling you to lose faith - only to be a bit more realistic.

You know what? I also believe WDAS will make a hand-drawn feature again, even if it is a one-off experiment. However, I am not convinced it will be happening in the near future. I realise you listen to Grace Randolph, but I am sceptical as to her reliability. And yes, I am also aware that Eric Goldberg and Jennifer Lee have hinted at the production of further hand-drawn animation at WDAS. However, the word "hinted," or to quote you, "implied", is the key term here]

So far, we do not have a black on white declaration from anybody at WDAS that the studio is definitely working on large-scale hand-drawn projects. Frankly, I do not recall the studio ever specifying whether Tiana will be CG or hand-drawn. It's all speculation thus far.

Regarding The Search for Mickey Mouse, I believe that was once in development at WDAS, but a really long time ago (think the early aughts.) I would be very suprised to learn they have revived the project, and to be honest with you, I don't like the idea.

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with piling pressure on Disney to bring back hand-drawn animation, but my advice is to find the right avenues for it. Do it intelligently. You do not want to be perceived as fanatical or emotional. Be cool and composed, and your point will come across even more powerfully.

By the way, your forum name is a damn handful! Can I borrow its first letter and christen you Dippy from now on? (In reference to Goofy's original name - Dippy Dawg!)

Take care, buddy!

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

With all due respect, Jules, I have to believe Grace Randolph’s reporting on Tiana being hand-drawn animated is correct since she broke the scoop about shows with Tiana and Moana before they were confirmed on Disney Investor Day in 2020 and because she was right about Chris Pine playing the villain in “Wish.”

Also, considering The Search for Mickey Mouse would be like if Looney Tunes: Back In Action fared better without studio interference and had Basil of Baker Street be given a big role in helping the gang find Mickey Mouse while making sure the other Disney characters would fit the story with a purpose, I think it sounds like a good idea.

If you wanna christen me as “Dippy,” go ahead but I’m keeping the long name.

[Kyle]

Wow, they actually completed something. Was starting to doubt I'd see the day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcd9ZRYlAoI

[Sotiris]

Videos: CTN Expo Animation Demonstrations
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/disney- ... mo-videos/

[Sotiris]

In pondering the state of the animation industry and some of the recent box office struggles, Deja is naturally rooting for a return to 2D. “Some of the recent CG films have not been doing well, so it’s not a guarantee,” he said. “So maybe audiences are ready for a change or they look back at something that was part of their youth. It’s still possible, it’s doable. But sometimes I think it would have to maybe come from a different country.”

Source: https://www.indiewire.com/features/anim ... 234930893/

[PatrickvD]

The boy and the Heron looks to be opening at number one in the US this weekend. And if it shows some legs through the holiday weekend it will very easily outgross all previous Studio Ghibli films.

Who knew audiences would show up for quality animation that doesn’t pander to them like the Disney Jr. level quality of a certain other movie out right now.

And it’s yes, gasp, traditionally animated.

[Mooky]

Tom and Tony Bancroft announce a new 2D movie they worked on:



https://www.instagram.com/p/C04Je1zuIB5 ... M5NmIwOQ==

[Kyle]

I wonder what the tone will be. If they can do something in line with prince of egypt, I'm in. if it will come off as preachy, that only Christians will enjoy, not so much.

[Sotiris]

Benjamin Renner ‘Draws’ on His 2D Background to Make the 3DCG ‘Migration’
https://www.awn.com/animationworld/benj ... -migration

[JTurner]

Very interesting that the Bancrofts are making an all new animated feature. Count me in to see it when it hits theaters. Also, bravo to the success of The Boy and the Heron. Not only does it show that there is still an audience for 2D animation, it should be an indicator that it was wrong to ever abandon it. This is a sign of good things to come.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

Agreed, even for Disney when that upcoming Tiana series hits Disney+ either late next year or in 2025.

BTW, hi, JTurner. Any chance you found that source of yours yet on where you heard Mark Henn was supervising folks at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Vancouver on ensuring the Disney+ Tiana series would be fully hand-drawn before he retired? Or still no luck on that yet?

[reee9948]

If you guys don't know, Light house Studio is working on a Biblical 2d animated movie called Light of the World chronicling the life of John the Apostle. The movie started production since the start of this year and will be released in theaters on summer 2025. A lot of Disney veterans are working on this movie and considering how Disney is receiving a lot of backlash for their recent movies, it's most likely that a lot of people will watch this movie out of spite for Disney and for their love of 2d animation.

Assuming that the movie is good and manage to break bank, do you think Disney will go back to making 2d animated movies? I know they have said that there were considering making a 2d movie and 2 years ago they had a 2d animation trainee program where veteran 2d animators would train aspiring animators, but it still seems like they are hesitant on making 2d movies again.

Maybe if Light of the World succeeds, they will realize that there is an audience for western 2d animated movies and hopefully they will go back to making 2d movies again.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C04Je1zuIB5/?img_index=1

[Kyle]

Right now I'm not convinced the quality will be there to have that kind of impact. I'm not sure any one movie would have that to be honest, but this doesn't even look like it will be Prince of Egypt quality (a movie I tend to compare this to, being another biblical story) just based on the character designs. But it's too early to say I suppose.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

New Commercial for Mickey’s ToonTown with hand-drawn animation from Disney in it: https://youtu.be/M9AeCJXywj0?si=3RhaGttGxMMN-XJU.

[DisneyFan09]

Wow, that was truly good animation! It was far superior to the likes of Once Upon a Studio and Disenchanted!

[Kyle]

Lets not get ahead of ourselves, its cool, but kind of...floaty? It does kind of reselble the goofy stuff in once upon a studio though, I wonder who animated that? was it eric goldberg? To me, while the animation there was fine, something about the clean up and lighting looks kind of cheap compared to some of the other stuff shown in the short.

[nomad2010]

New Commercial for Mickey’s ToonTown with hand-drawn animation from Disney in it: https://youtu.be/M9AeCJXywj0?si=3RhaGttGxMMN-XJU.

I’m 99% sure this isn’t actually hand drawn animation and is 3D made to look 2D like in the Paperman or in the new Ton and Jerry movie. It looks hand drawn at first but if you pay attention, especially to Mickey and Minnie in the latter half, you can see the shading give it away, especially on their shoes and also look at how their heads vs their bodies are shaded.

[Sotiris]

I’m 99% sure this isn’t actually hand drawn animation and is 3D made to look 2D like in the Paperman or in the new Ton and Jerry movie.

No, it's 2D animation. The director of the commercial confirmed it in the credits he shared.

Director: Misko Iho
Agency: Dentsu, Chicago
Production: Wild Gift Content, LA
Cinematographer: Bojan Bazelli, ASC
2D Animation: Walt Disney Animation Studios
Visual effects: Blockhead VFX, NZ
Colorist: Henri Pulla / pullapost.fi
Editor: Randy Baublis / Cabin Edit
Composer: Dean Grinsfelder / Visual Music

Source: https://vimeo.com/groups/tvc/videos/861472842

[Farerb]

Wow, that was truly good animation! It was far superior to the likes of Once Upon a Studio and Disenchanted!

The animation for Mickey and Friends was fine in Once Upon a Studio, the human characters were the ones that looked off.